Ham isn't quite as versatile when served on its own or even as globally accepted, but it has its merits in small doses. Dorothy Parker once said, "Eternity is two people and a ham." Hopefully you have a large family, or lots of friends, because despite Ms. Parker's sentiments, ham can transform plain-jane recipes into quite a few interesting dishes. It's most valuable to me as a seasoning, mixed with other meats and grains, as in Spanish paellas, New Orleans Jambalaya, and Mexican Arroz con Pollo. Ham in an Asian stir-fry, fried rice, or in a mixed teriyaki grill can be the perfect accent. Shrimp, eggs, legumes, and greens especially profit from ham's salty, intense flavor. And a ham bone, still carrying a few chunks of meat on it, is well worth its weight when simmered in soup or beans, or as in one recipe below, in chowder.

I've assembled below a selection of lamb and ham recipes to inspire you. Make room in the fridge, pick up some lamb or ham at a good price, and invite the neighbors over for a meaty spring fling.